New Engine Review

[nwilson44]

Okay so the new engine is installed and that dreaded noise is gone! As far as how it runs, its tight right now. I am trying to loosen it up. I just drove it to work and it seems to run well. Just through the midrange it seems tight (around 3000-4500 RPMs). I didnt drive long enough to record any real mileage, which is probably shabby because its new. The Z28/SS steering rack is so much quicker, tighter, and just all around more fun.

Here is what I dont like. The oil pressure is jumping around at idle. Not sure what oil they put in there but the sticker says Ac-Delco and Mobile One. There is a slight noise that sounds like a squeak under the hood but its slight. There is still a slight wining sound under the hood. Other than that those are my impressions as of now. The new motor is still very tight. If you have any questions about the whole process of having General Motors drop in a new engine, feel free to ask. I will update as I drive more and get more seat time.

[Ibanezz]

A new engine like that needs to be broken in. Don't romp on it a lot or you'll be back to the same problems you had before

[nwilson44]

Re: New Engine Review

A new engine like that needs to be broken in. Don't romp on it a lot or you'll be back to the same problems you had before

So just stay below 4k?

[nascar24jd]

Re: New Engine Review

You need to baby that thing for the first 1,000 miles. You should not be running your brand new engine up to 4,500 RPM as you stated in the original post. With all the trouble that you have had in the past, and posted on here, you really need to go easy on your car.

Driving my kids to school this morning, I note my RPM just for this post.

You should be able to do all of your daily driving and still keep it under 3,000 RPM with no issue at all. At most, 3,500 RPM.

Go easy on that thing or you will have more trouble. Give it time to break in properly for the first 1,000 miles. Then change the oil, and you will be good to go.

Even after break in, don't redline it. Just drive it normal and don't beat on it.

[WarShrike]

Re: New Engine Review

^Agreed, I don't even have to go over 3000rpm between shifts to get up the onramp to 70mph here.

[PalmHarborBlkv6]

Re: New Engine Review

Whatever is going on with the old pressure is distressing but U have a warranty so not to worry...if it were a junk yard engine that would be a different story

[LETZRIDE]

Re: New Engine Review

If its a new engine you should run a break in oil for the first 500k then change the oil out, i'd run it for another 1000k then change the oil out.

The rings are trying to seat so you'll have filings that will get into the oil as they rub and seat in on the cylinder walls.

I would not run a synthetic oil in the car for atleast 3-5,000k and then Id move to a full synthetic oil

[nwilson44]

Re: New Engine Review

Okay so baby it basically. Below 3500 RPM Ill have to constrain myself lol. I have a box of AMSoil signature 5w-30 and AMSoil filter. The sticker that the dealer put on was for about 3000 miles, but I think I am going to change it before then. It just feels really tight, like it needs to loosen up but I have plenty of torque before 3500 so I should be good.

[nascar24jd]

Yes, baby it.

Change the oil at 1,000 miles.

I'm not sure how you can feel the tightness in the motor, but just follow what we told you and you will be ok.

[cam98aro]

Re: New Engine Review

breaking in engines are basically a thing of the passed, not much break in is needed with the new roller cams and the piston rings basically seat the first time there is a load on the engine, or there is some engine braking.

i would just drive it normally

[LETZRIDE]

Re: New Engine Review

breaking in engines are basically a thing of the passed, not much break in is needed with the new roller cams and the piston rings basically seat the first time there is a load on the engine, or there is some engine braking.

i would just drive it normally

This is basically right. I just wouldn't recommend putting in synthetic before doing 5000k. You want wear to occur and your piston rings to seat properly. While that is happening you want to change the oil frequently to get the shavings/etc out.

I would do 500k of break in oil (but since it sounds like you have regular oil) do break 500 of that, then I would do another change at about 1500, then finally when you hit 5000k put your synthetic oil in.

Make sure you change the filter each time. Run a Wix filter if you can. If they don't sell it locally, buy it from amsoil.

Also, get yourself a magnetic oil drain plug, it will help catch the metal.

When I picked up my motor with 5000k I think it had, I had metal on my drain plug the first 2-3 oil changes, now I don't have anything anymore.

[WarShrike]

Re: New Engine Review

Same here, I love magnetic drain plugs.

[Hib Halverson]

Re: New Engine Review

In the last several years, I've run a number of new engines, both new from the factory and freshly rebuilt, including the 3800 in my Camaro both from new and then freshened a few years ago.

Provided the block was bored/honed properly and you're using the typical ring set with a moly top and a cast iron second, rather than much more rare chrome-faced rings, ring seating happens within the first few hundred revolutions, regardless of load.

Long gone are the days when engines had to run 250-1000 miles to "seat" rings.

Break-in of the rest of the engine, takes 1000-5000 miles depending on the engine, what parts are in it and how it was assembled.

My procedure has always been 500 miles first oil filter, because no matter how clean your assemby is, there is always a lot of junk trapped by the oil filter on a new engine. 1000 miles first oil and filter change along with switching to Red Line Synthetic oil if that wasn't factory fill. After that, I adopt my normal oil drain intervals.

The idea that you can use synthetic from the start is B.S. The amount of OEs which use factory fill synthetic oil as factory fill refutes that idea convincingly. Unless the final hone was grit and cross hatch was chosen specifically to NOT be used with synthetic, if you're going to use synthetic, you may as well use it from the start.

As for the engine in the OP, I'd be interested to know how much the oil pressure is fluctuating at idle. Also, what oil filter is being used? Lastly, is the oil pump new? Used?

[nwilson44]

Re: New Engine Review

GM did the swap so an AC Delco Filter and Mobil One oil was used. The tightness is hard to describe another way, its like you give it throttle in the midrange and it doesnt move like it normally should you feel like a kind of tightness in the midrange. Just tonight I got a P0420 code for my cat, so I have to deal with that tomorrow. That dreaded knocking noise is coming back ever so slightly, so I hope it goes away after while. Is the constant wine from a power steering pump? If so I need them to change it because It is passed my nerves lol

[nwilson44]

Re: New Engine Review

GM also did the build so whatever the factory specifications are is what this motor is, I would assume.